The Voice of Destiny
by Anonymous Slasher
Summary: An AU fic, where Aragorn reflects back on his life and the love that he lost long ago. Please review! Aragorn/Legolas slash. New chapter up!
1. Author's Notes

Author's Notes:

This is a major AU fic, told in first-person point-of-view! The Ring will not exist, at least not unless I write the third story in this series!

This fic deals with major angst, violence, and death.

None of these characters belong to me!

There will be hint of shounen ai, yaoi, and slash between two males; Legolas and Aragorn

Enjoy!

I will only write past the prologue if I get at least ten reviews.


	2. Prologue

The Voice of Destiny

_Prologue:_

The world has changed much over the past few years. The forests have spread out, now covering much of the barren wasteland that used to be Middle Earth. The lakes and rivers are fresh and clear, no longer tainted with sulfur, as they once had been. The land is cleansed; nature has been restored in Middle Earth.

_No longer is Middle Earth being controlled by an evil and cruel tyrant. The people of all races- the Elves, the Men, the Dwarves, and the Hobbits are all free to make their own destinies, without fear of the cruel one, who was determined to enslave all of the races under his rule_

_And yet… and yet I wonder if the price for freedom was worth it all, the sacrifice. I may sound selfish, but I cannot help feeling that there might have been another way. A way that would not have cost me the life of the one I love. Yes, I still love him, despite the fact that he died long ago. Death has not changed the way that I feel about him at all. _

_My love was strong and fierce, noble and brave, and an enigma to everyone; at times, even to me. He was not proud or boastful, being the complete opposite with his gentle heart and his sense of honor. He is still the most beautiful being I have ever seen in this world, a vision that I alone can recall._

_His long, golden tresses flowing past his shoulders; his wise, gentle eyes were primarily a soft, silver colour. I say 'primarily' because when he was unhappy or upset, they turned a shade of dark grey instead of remaining silver. Flawless, smooth, ivory skin, as pale as the moonlight itself, and his slender frame, which easily hid his firm muscles._

_He was as beautiful as Tinúviel herself, and she was said to be the fairest of all the Elves. Yet, he was a male Elf, of rare beauty and strength. None have come yet that remotely remind me of him; the one who gave up everything to fulfill his duty… The reason he was born._

_Even knowing that he and I could never be together; he had his duty, I had mine, I fell in love with him anyway. As he used to say, 'Tis never easy to fall in love with someone, and if the timing is not right, the love will bring naught but tragedy.' His words were too true, though I never learned what his feelings were for me, until it was too late._

_Lord Elrond Peredhil told me that his soul had been too strong for him to remain in Middle Earth for very long, and that some things are destined to be. Fighting destiny was impossible, though I fought against his with all of my strength, because I had not wanted to lose him. I failed, of course, and he died. A sad, tragic fate for the one I loved, who had been willing to take his life in his own hands, to devote it to the peoples of Middle Earth._

_You're probably wondering who I am. My name is not important; only the story that I carry is. Once I have told my tale, I shall join the one I love, and hope that we shall be reborn someday. My duty has not finished yet; it will not be until this entire story is written, so that all will remember the sacrifice of love that was made to save the future of Middle Earth._

_You see… my duty is to remember everything. It all started with two prophecies, two of Lady Galadriel's own visions. The first prophecy reads:_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~__

_Four Guardians selected to defend the Chosen_

_Four to keep him safe from harm_

_One of Four will turn and fight astray_

_One of Three will fall before the battle is won_

_Two of Two, true to the last, will remain_

_One of Two will be alone after the deed is done_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_The second prophecy refers to the Chosen One himself and his burden of destiny:_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_In light, evil retreats, hiding in its shade_

_In death, the final sacrifice is made._

_One of light, shining hope in his eyes_

_Chosen to balance the day and the night._

_Bound by the weight of destiny;_

_Bound throughout all eternity._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~__

_His name was Legolas, known as 'Green Leaf' in the Elvish tongue, and he is the one that I love, more than my own life. If I could have saved him, somehow, some way, I would have. But I could not, and he was lost to me… to all of Middle Earth. _

_I suppose it is better that I begin the story from as far back as I can remember, to those bittersweet memories of my childhood… What was I thinking back then, when I was so young, and easily distracted? I hadn't known then of the love that I would find, and the happiness it would give me, until the day that Legolas died._

_To be continued_


	3. Chapter 1. Childhood Prophecy

Disclaimers: See the Author's Notes! Ok, I know who two of the four Guardians are: Aragorn and Glorfindel. If you have any ideas for the other two, please tell me in a review. Please review!! Constructive criticism is welcome!

_The Voice of Destiny_

_Chapter 1. **Childhood Prophecy**_

I was born the only child of my parents, on a rare day when the moon passed in front of the sun during the day, causing it to go dark for a short time. It was during that fleeting time that I entered the world, according to Lord Elrond, crying loud enough to make even him wince.

_I remember little of my early years, except for a few moments, when I was nearly four. My father, mother, and I had gone to visit Imladris together. I was more preoccupied with my food and toys, playing quietly on the grass, in the clearing, until a stranger entered the clearing. He was very tall and had his blond hair pulled back in a clip, similar to the way Lord Elrond always wore his hair. I only recently had begun learning what colors were, and I was fascinated by the rich, green color of his shirt, his soft, black leggings, and the blue tunic he wore over the jade shirt. I placed my toys on the floor, standing unsteadily, as I toddled over to where he stood, before I patted his leggings, which felt like velvet._

_A pair of hands picked me up, and I saw that the stranger was an Elf, who smiled at me. My grey eyes met the emerald-green eyes of the Elf, and something strange happened. A strange feeling came over me, as I looked at him, unaware of the strange mark that had appeared on my right forearm, until the unknown Elf saw it._

_'Lord Elrond!' he cried, shifting me onto one of his hips, holding me securely with one hand, and stretching my right forearm out for the Elven lord to see with the other._

_The dark-haired half Elven lord that I had met earlier, and whom I knew as a friend, stood and walked over to where the strange Elf held me. 'What is it, Glorfindel?' he questioned. A startled look appeared in his black eyes, when he saw my forearm. 'The mark…' he breathed softly. 'Can it be?' _

_I curiously looked at my arm, trying to figure out what they were looking at. Even I was surprised at the strange mark. "Wha dat?" I asked, not knowing how to speak proper Western or Elvish either at the time._

_A small oval-shaped circle was on my arm now, glowing a grey color, with two diagonal slashes across it. It looked pretty to me, and I tried to touch it, but Elrond prevented me from doing so, carefully inspecting it, before he took me from Glorfindel._

_"What is it, Elrond?" my father asked, standing from where he sat beside my mother. _

_"I believe that your Aragorn is one of the four chosen Guardians, Arathorn," Elrond slowly answered, looking at my father._

_I was fussing slightly, trying to reach the blond Elf again. 'Glor-del,' I protested._

_Glorfindel smiled at me again, before he carefully pulled up the sleeve of his own right arm, showing a similar mark there, except that his was an emerald color, matching his eyes perfectly. 'Glorfindel, Aragorn,' he corrected paternally, using his left hand to tousle my short, brown hair. I grinned back at him, sucking on my left thumb._

_"That old prophecy?" my father scoffed, shaking his head. "Surely you do not believe in such old tales, Elrond."_

_My mother stood as well and walked over to me, taking me from Elrond and she caught her breath when she saw the mark. "Arathorn, you know that I mentioned the prophecy to you a few times," she protested._

_I automatically reached my hand towards my mother's ears, for one of my favorite pastimes was to poke and inspect the pointed tips that she had, and I did not understand what they were talking about._

_My father shook his head again. "Gilraen… I do not put faith in such a prophecy. I certainly have heard nothing of a 'Chosen One' being found, so where is she or he?" A slightly mocking note was in his voice._

_I saw my mother wince and babbled at her. "Ma-ma?" She gave me a smile, but I could tell she was hurt by what my father had said, so I continued trying to make her feel better, ignoring the tension between my father and Lord Elrond._

_"The sign-" Elrond began, before he was cut off by my father._

_"Elrond, **enough**! Aragorn is normal… At least, as normal as he can be, with Elven blood in his veins, and if any rumors got out about him not being normal, it could jeopardize his being my heir." _

A cool look appeared on Elrond's face, before he ruffled my hair. "As you wish, Arathorn." The affection that had been there before was gone, replaced by neutrality.

I barely noticed, for my mother was offering me one of my toys again, and I waved it around in one of my chubby hands. If we left earlier than intended when we left Gondor, I didn't care, because we were going home.

That was the last I was to see of Lord Elrond for two years, until I turned seven. We were invited back to Imladris, to celebrate the solstice. I was happy because there were going to be young Elves there that I could play with, for I had seen none of my Elven kin since Elrond and my father had had that disagreement. And it was on that day that I met him, though I would not learn until much later of who he truly was.

I slept the entire way, only awakening when we arrived, because I was much too excited to sleep the night before we left. I automatically ran over to join the other children and began playing with them, while my parents joined the adults.

The other children were friendly, and I was very happy, until I saw it happen. An older Elf roughly pushed a smaller one, trying to get her out of the way, so that he could go next. I grew angry and walked over to confront the bully, when another young Elf reached him first.

'You know pushing is not allowed,' a soft, quiet voice said. 'All of us must wait for our turn, and you hurt her feelings. Apologize to Alasse, Pelekt'. His words were soft, but had a strange authority and wisdom to them.

Pelekt looked at the other younger Elf for a few moments angrily, before he slowly nodded and helped Alasse stand up again. 'I'm sorry, Alasse, for pushing you.'

She barely nodded, but offered a smile, to show that he was forgiven. She then took her turn to skip her smooth, grey stone across the small lake, giggling when it skipped four times.

I wanted to see who had managed to get Pelekt to apologize like that, when he had been so angry, so I stepped out of the line and looked around curiously. That was when I saw him, when he was just a child.

A small group of young Elves sat around a single, golden-haired Elf that instantly drew my attention. I walked over and sat down in the group, keeping my eyes on him, for I could already see that he was no ordinary Elf.

His flawless eyes were silver, shining with a strange, wise look as he sat there silently. Skin the color of pure ivory shone softly, though most Elves' skin only glowed slightly at night. The silvery radiance that surrounded him made him stand out among everyone, a radiant light that drew others to him. When I looked at him, his silvery eyes met mine, and he gave me a wise, gentle smile, as if he could see directly into me. 

I, on the other hand, felt as if I was looking directly into his soul as I drank in the sheer beauty he possessed. His soft, silvery-blue shirt was offset by the tendrils of golden hair that framed his face, and the dark green leggings that he wore. His frame was slender, but I knew that that did not mean that he was frail, for Elves' appearances were deceptive, and his feet were bare, but not dirty. All of the Elven race were beautiful, but he was like…like a twinkling star among numerous suns, a lily among daisies. A strange feeling was inside of me, and he and I continued staring at each other openly, until he finally spoke.

'Hello,' was all he said, before gracing me with another beautiful smile, that made him shine brighter than any star I had ever seen before.

I felt awed that someone like him had spoken to me, for I felt insignificant compared to him. 'Who are you?' I whispered.

'I am not the stranger here; you are, son of Arathorn,' he replied, again keeping his voice quiet, yet it could be heard by all of the younger children that clung to him, telling him many different tales.

To my dark grey eyes, he looked like little more than a six-year-old child, and I wondered why all of the little Elves sat around him, until I saw that he truly listened to them, which most would not do. A caring look was in his eyes, and then I knew why they came to him with their stories.

It was because of the caring that he showed them, the way he made each feel important and worthwhile. I understood that feeling, for I felt it as well.

'Little Green Leaf, come!' a deeper voice called.

The object of my awe and wonder said, 'I have to go.' He smiled all around, before he gracefully stood, taking my breath away. A path was cleared for him, as all the other children stood as well, including me. As he passed me by, he stopped and looked into my eyes again. 'We will meet again, Aragorn, son of Arathorn, but I do not think you will know me.'

The voice called his name again, louder this time, and 'Green Leaf' faded into the crowd. Most of the children sighed longingly, before they took their turns at the game the others were still playing. I was lost in the strange, content feeling that I had, and sat down alone, thinking of him. It was only then that I realized that the strange oval was glowing on my arm again, and a sudden thought occurred to me.

I had not told him my name or who my father was, yet he had known anyway. I knew that I had never met him before and I had not been among the Elves for a while, so I didn't understand how he could possibly have known.

My parents came to fetch me, after the solstice was over. I remained silent the entire way home, longing to speak to him again, and angry at myself for not getting his name before he had left. So I decided to ask Lord Elrond when we returned to Mirkwood again. Unfortunately, that came about in the most tragic of circumstances.

An Elven messenger came late one night to speak with my father a few months, and I overheard the entire conversation.

'I'm sorry; I know that King Thranduil was a friend of yours,' the Elf murmured.

'You're certain that all of them are dead? Every Elf in Mirkwood was killed? Even Legolas?' my father asked. 'He is younger than my own son!' Sorrow and anger was in his voice.

The Elf nodded solemnly. 'We found most of their bodies… those we didn't find were taken away to be mutilated. Lord Elrond believes that they were attacked a few days after returning to their home. Tis a pity about young Green Leaf…His body was not found, but they surely killed him. All of his family were murdered.'

I gasped in horror when I heard that. That wise, caring, young Elf was… dead? Part of me instantly rejected that idea, but the other part of me was scared that it was true. It was ironic- I learned his true name- Legolas- and he was gone. 

My father grimly stated, 'Who killed them?'

'No one knows, but several Orcs and Uruk-Hai were found roaming the forest. The hoof-prints of the Nazgul were also found. My lord intends to see to it that they are killed and that the bodies of the missing Elves recovered, to be laid to rest as they should be, instead of being mutilated,' the Elf answered, as he turned to face my father.

I saw then that it was Glorfindel, and a haunted look was in his blue eyes. I did not pay attention to what my father said in reply, because I could only feel an empty loss inside of me, as if something special had been taken away from me, and I wanted it back! But I did not know what it was.

In my later years, I wondered if the death of the enigmatic, young Elf was a sign of things to come, for shortly after Gondor was attacked and my parents were killed. I was not there, having gone to spend a summer in Imladris with my Elven kin, when the word came, and I wept for days.

Lord Elrond let me cry on him as he held me and told me that he was so sorry, and that everything would be all right someday, though I found it hard to believe myself. He took me in as his own, for two reasons he said. First, he did not want me to become a pawn for the control of Gondor, which he was certain would happen if I returned home. Second, he told me that I was his Kin by blood and that he would let no other raise me besides himself.

In just a few months, my life had been shattered, and I found myself living in Imladris. Elrond's own children accepted me and treated me like a brother, and it was due to their efforts, as well as their father's, that the pain in my heart of losing my birth parents faded somewhat, though it never truly left me.

I was reared, from then on, in the ways of Elves: learning to fight like them, track like them, speak like them; even walk like them. I was given an Elven name- Estel, which meant hope.  My memories of the other life I had known faded in the passing years, and the Elven prophecies were explained to me as well, by Elrond.

'Four Guardians selected to defend the Chosen; Four to keep him safe from harm,' Elrond read to me from a parchment, before he looked at me. 'There are four Guardian to defend whomever the Chosen One is, Estel, and I believe that you and Glorfindel are two of them. It is said that the Guardians will know each other by the Sign.'

_'You mean the mark on my arm,' I said, knowingly._

_            Elrond nodded. 'Glorfindel has a similar one, and I know you have seen it.'_

_            I replied, 'Yeah…' I was then five and seven, and eager to go out and play with my friends, instead of listening to the prophecy again, because Elrond insisted that I learn to fully understood what it meant for me._

_            'One of Four will turn and fight astray / One of Three will fall before the battle is won / Two of Two, true to the last, will stay / One of Two will remain alone when the deed is done.' Elrond sighed, sounding weary. 'No one knows what that means, Estel. The remaining two Guardians must be found.'_

_            'What about the Chosen One?' I questioned. That was what I found interesting; trying to figure out who the Chosen One was supposed to be. 'Who is he?'_

'I…' Elrond sighed again, before he said, 'I once thought that it was little Green Leaf, myself, but it cannot be, for if the Chosen one was dead, the Signs would have faded from both Glorfindel and you.'

_I bit back my own sigh, as he began the prophecy. I didn't understand that one very much, and it offered no clues as to who the Chosen One was. My memory of the Elven child I had once met had erased from my mind when I lost my parents to murder and war._

'In light, evil retreats, hiding in its shade / In death, the final sacrifice is made. One of light, shining hope in his eyes / Chosen to balance the day and the night. Bound by the weight of destiny; / Bound throughout all eternity,' Elrond recited from memory. 'Only the Valar knows when the Chosen One will be found, but the remaining Guardians must also be located as well.' 

_            I paid it no more attention than I had any other time, feeling that there was little chance that this mysterious Chosen One would come and need protection from those who sought to kill him before he could do whatever he had been born to do._

_            After the tragedy that struck me, the rest of my young years passed relatively uneventful, until the year I turned twenty-one in the years of Man. My brown hair hung down to my shoulders, and my dark grey eyes were stormy and grim, from spending the last four years as a Ranger, aiding against the villainous Orcs, Nazgul, and Uruk-Hai._

_            My wanderings eventually brought me near the Gates of Moria and the land of the Dwarves, and it was there that I, along with my all-but-brothers, Elladan and Elrohir, found a shocking secret, which had been hidden for fifteen years._

To be continued


	4. Chapter 2. Hidden Secrets

Disclaimers: See the Author's Notes! All right, I have 3 Guardians- Haldir, Glorfindel, and Aragorn. Any suggestions for the last one? ** is used for Legolas' mental 'voice' to Aragorn. The song that Legolas sings is not mine; it is a lovely poem that A.J. Matthews wrote for me, called 'The Moment'… *bows before the other slash writer* Thanks, A.J., for the great poem, and thank your friend, Wendy, for me.

The Voice of Destiny 

Chapter 2. **Hidden Secret**

            Elrohir, Elladan, and I had been spying on the strange minions; the Black Riders known as the Nazgul and the Uruk-Hai, for they had been traveling close to Rivendell again, as if they were studying the Elven land I called my home for their next attack. I faintly remembered that these had been the ones who had destroyed the Elven kingdom of Mirkwood, along with all of the Wood Elves.

            The missing bodies of the Elves who were not found had been recovered mostly, except for the body of the little, mysterious Prince. No one could find out where his body had been taken, though Elrond had not given up the search yet. I still thought of him occasionally, even after all of these years.

            We had camped for the night near the Mines of Moria, following the foul creatures, and we dared not light a fire as we left our horses tethered nearby, creeping forward to spy on the Nazgul, hiding behind the tall, gray rocks and large boulders, making no sounds at all.

The black-garbed Riders took no notice of me, as I crawled along the ground, to get as close as I could to them, so that I might be able to hear what the Nazgul were saying to each other.

Their words made no sense, for they stood in a circle around something, but I knew not what.

"Kill…" the leader hissed, brandishing its sword at whatever it was.

One of the Uruk-Hai snarled at the Nazgul in anger, surprising me. Since when did the Uruk-Hai and Nazgul fight over something, I wondered. They were supposed to work together, not argue, I knew, which was slightly strange.

One of the other Nazgul hissed something back that I couldn't quite catch, before it yanked at whatever the Riders were standing over. A small figure was then brought into view, though a black cloak and hood covered its clothes, face, and features.

The lone figure made so sound of protest, though I could clearly see that whoever it was had their hands bound behind their back with some kind of rope. The unknown figure seemed to feel my presence, for it looked briefly in my direction, while the Uruk-Hai and Nazgul continued arguing over it.

**Leave this place, before it's too late,** a voice said directly into my mind. It was young and definitely male, being a soft, lilting, alto voice.

I looked around, but saw no one standing there that could have spoken to me. Was I hearing things, I briefly wondered…

The voice spoke again, sounding earnest. **I know you're watching, but if they see you, I cannot help you. Leave, before they find you, son of Arathorn…**

'Who are you?' I whispered in Elvish, not understanding, until I felt a mental, quiet laugh. 'How do you know who I am?'

**Tis not who I am that is in doubt, Estel, foster son to Lord Elrond.** 

The voice cut off suddenly, and I felt a flash of pain. My eyes returned back down to the camp, and I saw that one of the Nazgul had pulled the hood off, revealing a glorious mass of golden hair that belonged to the figure. A dark hand was yanking the person's hair hard, baring a pale throat, with a sword pressed against it.

Behind me, I heard Elrohir gasp, only to be silenced by Elladan. I could understand the gasp, though.

Only a face was presented to me, framed by the pure gold being brutally held by that Nazgul. Pale, ivory skin showed in the dimming light, glowing not unlike the soft, silvery moonlight that appeared at night.

A dark cloth of some sort was wrapped around the figure's mouth, preventing him from speaking. What shocked me even more was what happened next. The Uruk-Hai leader snarled again and leapt at the Nazgul holding the prisoner, knocking the Rider to the ground.

The other Riders drew their swords as one, advancing on the other Uruk-Hai, who had positioned themselves in front of the lone prisoner. I was afraid that they were going to fight, and I assumed that the Nazgul would win, until the wind suddenly shifted.

I winced, knowing that my scent, along with Elrohir and Elladan's, was instantly detected, from the way that all of the foul creatures stopped fighting and sniffed the air, before speaking in a few grunts and words.

The Nazgul mounted their horses, and one of them roughly pulled the prisoner up in front of him, trapping the figure in place with a single arm, before they galloped off, closely followed by the fast-moving Uruk-Hai.

I mentally cursed, before I looked at my foster brothers.

'Who was that?' I sharply questioned in Elvish. 'Why would the Uruk-Hai and Nazgul fight over a prisoner?'

'I don't know, Estel,' Elladan told me, a frown on his face. 'I never heard that they even had a prisoner with them. We never even saw that they had one, despite the fact that we have been spying on them for days.'

Elrohir was frowning as well. 'My question is, **why** did they have a prisoner? Tis strange…'

I felt a frown appearing on my face. 'We should go after them and find out who it tis that they are holding captive and, if possible, free her or him.'

'Agreed,' Elrohir and Elladan said as one, no doubt remembering the torture that their mother had gone through at the hands of the Orcs. I felt a wave of pity for them, but I also knew my duty.

The night air was growing warm, so I pushed my sleeves up, and that was when I noticed that the oval was glowing on my arm again. I ignored it, having grown used to the strange mark, and went back to my horse. I mounted, waited for my foster brothers to do the same, and then we rode off silently, following the tracks of the Riders and Uruk-Hai.

The terrain was rough and uneven, and the stones skipped underneath the galloping hooves of the Elven horse I rode. Elladan and Elrohir rode behind me, side-by-side as always. Bitter disappointment rose in me, when we could not find the Uruk-Hai or the Nazgul, after two whole days of searching and riding without rest.

Then, as night fell on the third day, a haunting melody could be heard on the wind. I drew my horse to a stop and listened to the Elvish words that echoed around me, wondering at the sad tune that sounded solemn, endearing, yet hopeful at the same time.

'Waiting for the moment,  
Looking at the sky.  
Knowing what lies ahead  
Yet I never wonder why.

Standing here alone,  
Somewhere in the night  
But deep inside of me  
I can feel the light.'

I exchanged a startled look with Elladan, as the pure, soft voice sang sweetly, making me feel strange inside. I instinctively began following the song, searching for the singer.

'Brighter than the stars  
More radiant than the moon  
I know the time is coming  
I know it will be soon.'

My search seemed to be in vain, until a familiar voice spoke in my head again.

**Why are you here?**

I whirled around, but saw no one.

**They will kill you if they see you…**

 'Who are you?' I hissed, feeling frustrated. No ghost or strange voice was going to stop me from finding the poignant, sad singer. It was only then that I realized the song had stopped.

**My name is not important… But you should not be here…**

I scowled and blindly searched around, my irritation growing. 'Where are you?' I growled,  feeling eyes upon me, but no one was there.

A gentle, mental laugh sounded again. **Is it so important to you, son of Arathorn?** The soft voice then went serious. **You should not be here…** 

'Estel, who are you talking to?' Elladan questioned, giving me a strange look. I ignored him and continued trying to figure out where the strange voice I kept hearing was coming from.

'Damn it, show yourself!' I demanded sharply.

**I cannot; I am the prisoner of the Black Riders, Estel…** The softly said words echoed in my mind and heart. **I ask again, why are you here? What do you seek?**

My scowl grew even darker. 'Then who are you?' Silence was all I heard, for no answer came. I sighed in disgust and looked at my foster brothers.

Elrohir was staring at me, an eyebrow raised slightly. Elladan was doing the same, but I didn't really care at this moment in time.

Who was that mysterious voice inside of my head? The prisoner of the Nazgul, I though slowly…So that unknown figure was a male, whatever he was, Man or Elf…I knew he could not be a Hobbit; he was too tall for that, judging from what I had seen earlier.

But why would he be kept against his will by the Uruk-Hai and Nazgul? I still wanted an answer to that. However, I did not get an answer, until much later in the evening. The moon was high overheard, and cast its light down over all of us. Elrohir and Elladan were taking their turns at watch, so I slipped off to find a stream to refill my water bag.

I'd heard the sounds of running water earlier, so it was a simple matter to follow the sound to the bubbling brook, which looked pure silver in the light of the moon. I dipped my water bag under it and let it begin refilling. My senses stayed tuned to the ever-shifting noises I could hear, being a Ranger.

That's how I heard the very slight footsteps of someone approaching. Finishing what I was doing, I leapt behind a tall bush noiselessly, grateful now for the numerous vegetation surrounding the clear, sparkling water.

A lone figure stepped emerged slowly from behind some bushes, walking directly towards the creek. A black cloak covered the features, flowing behind the person who gracefully knelt beside the stream and lowered their face to it, as if he was drinking deeply from it. It was then that I realized who this must be, from the way his hands were behind his back.

My suspicions were confirmed, when he sat up straight, tilting his head back, which inadvertently made the hood fall back, revealing the flowing, blond hair once more. His mouth was no longer bound shut, though his hands were still tied.

My curiosity got the better of me, and I came out of hiding. He did not acknowledge my presence, though to this day, I believe that he knew I was there, watching him. He remained where he was, testing the strength of his bonds, until I spoke.

'Who are you?' I asked, walking over to stand behind him.

He stood and turned to face me silently.

I stiffened at the pure beauty before me. Aye, by the Valar I swear that I had never seen such a lovely creature before. His skin shone, as I had noticed days before, but it was even softer now that I was close to him. The silvery light seemed to radiate from within him as he watched me silently, making him shine like he was a star himself. The ivory skin I had noticed earlier was still pale, but it suited him, for now I could see how the golden brightness of his hair and the pale silverness of his skin contrasted, though the distinction make him look nothing less than perfect. 

Rosy lips that still dripped water from the drink he'd gotten from the spring parted slightly as he exhaled, showing off the slender musculature he possessed. Brilliant, knowing silver eyes flashed briefly as they met my dark grey eyes, and then he smiled, as if I were an old friend that he was greeting.

The wild, golden hair covered part of his oval face, and I reached towards it, to smooth it back. Part of me was hesitant to do so; I thought he might vanish before me if I did touch him. But it did not happen, when I touched the strands of gold and brushed it behind his ears. That was when I saw the pointed tips, and realized for the first time that he was an Elf.

I admit freely that my hand lingered longer than it needed to in the silky mane, enjoying the softness of it. In addition to that, the same hand had brushed the velvety-soft texture of his smooth face when I had moved his hair.

A soft sigh sounded from the object of my intense scrutiny, and I looked at him again. A resigned look was in his eyes, as if he was making his mind up about something, until we both heard the sounds of sticks and twigs snapping beneath heavy feet.

He wordlessly looked at me, then inclined his head, telling me without words to leave. I frowned and shook my head, refusing to leave him behind, despite how loud the sounds were growing, as the creatures approached even faster.

'Come with me,' I told him, surprised at the pleading note in my voice.

His eyes grew wide again, before he closed them and shook his head.

**They'll find me if I leave; I cannot hide from them…Go and tell Lord Elrond of our meeting, Estel…**

I angrily hissed, 'I cannot leave you here with them…'

The soft voice countered, **You must… for now. Not even you could beat them all… Elrond will know what to do. Please, go before they find you and kill you… I'll be all right…** 

The desperate note in his voice caught my attention, as did the two shrill Elven whistles calling for me. Hating myself for this, I turned and fled, until I was far enough back to avoid being seen, but where I could see what happened.

Three Uruk-Hai and two Nazgul burst into the clearing next to the stream, angrily grunting and hissing at the Elf, who stood there silently before he softly said something back to them, which alleviated some of the anger of the Uruk-Hai. The Nazgul replied angrily, and one put their hands on their sword-hilt, but a warning growl came from the Uruk-Hai, and stopped.

One of the Uruk-Hai  put a hand on the small of his back, and pushed him forward, while the other two Uruk-Hai and the Black Riders surrounded the beautiful Elf and the Uruk-Hai who returned him to the camp, replacing the loose hood over his Elven features.

I choked back bitterness and returned to where Elladan and Elrohir waited for me, telling myself that I was nothing but a coward for leaving without him. Strange, I thought, that he would not try to leave when he might have escaped… Though he had seemed more concerned for me than for himself, I mused.

Elladan scolded me as soon as I came into sight. 'Where have you been? The Nazgul and Uruk-Hai were out searching for something and we feared they had found you!'

'They were looking for their prisoner,' I said flatly. 'I found him; he is an Elf, but before I could free him, they returned and took him away. There were too many of them for me to fight. He said to tell Lord Elrond that I had seen and spoke with him; that he would know what to do.' I sighed in frustration. 'I don't understand what he meant by that, but we should inform Lord Elrond of this development.'

Elrohir nodded and murmured, 'Father will not be pleased to hear that they hold an Elf captive, not after…' I could hear the anger and loathing in his voice.

'The Elf is young,' I told them. 'And very attractive… I suppose that is why the Uruk-Hai do not want the Nazgul to kill him.' I did not mention the awe and wonder that had overtaken me when I had first gazed upon his ethereal beauty.

'Did you find out who he is?' Elladan said. 'I hope for his sake they do not…'

I shook my head. 'No, he would not say… And then they came…'

Elrohir sighed, 'Then let us return to Father and tell him of what has occurred. We will need help, if we are going to free him from his captivity. Not even the three of us can defeat the Nine Riders and a massive horde of Uruk-Hai.'

We exchanged a nod, before mounting our Elven horses and departing towards the North, where Rivendell lay.

My thoughts stayed focused on the slender, imprisoned Elf, and I hoped that the Valar would keep him safe, until he was rescued.

To be continued


End file.
